justice, or
by Haulau
Summary: I remember the heat - so unbearable, so impossible to cope with, that even the slightest, most minuscule of movements caused one to break out in a heavy sweat. But no matter what, I would not give in. A hero never backs down, after all. I had a mission to finish, and I was going to complete it even if it killed me.


If I were to ask you the difference between a villain and a hero... what would your answer be?

Would you tell me that the villain is the "bad guy", and the hero, the "good"? TV shows and movies alike all tell the same tale with different wording, stories of the good and virtuous hero wielding the so-called "power of justice" to smite the heinous villain. To tell the truth, stories such as this enthralled me as a child. I grew up wanting, wishing, _hoping_ that someday I could be like that invincible, red-caped man I admired so greatly. But, as I would soon find out, things aren't quite so black and white.

Let me tell you a short tale.

August 15th, on a searingly hot summer day. That's where it all began. The piercing blue sky juxtaposed against the stark white pavement at the point where the two hues collide, burning the back of my retina with nothing but sheer contrast. The sun cast burning rays of sunlight down onto the world below, causing shimmering waves of heat haze to snake their way upwards from the pavement. I remember the heat- so unbearable, so impossible to cope with, that even the slightest, most minuscule of movements caused one to break out in a heavy sweat. I can still feel it even now, the itch of that crimson scarf against the back of my neck. My heavy jacket and cargo pants clung to my body, drenched in a thick layer of moisture, but I ignored it as I crouched down behind a towering oak tree. I refused to acknowledge the various signs of discomfort my body was supplying me with en masse. No matter what, I would not give in to the heat. A hero never backs down, after all. I had a mission to finish, and I was going to complete it even if it killed me.

The sound of static rang in my ears, snapping me back to reality. A long, drawn-out signal broadcasted from the black and gold earpiece I wore hidden away from sight. I drew in a deep breath as I thought back over the meaning behind those high-pitched notes. The signal, it meant that...

The moment caught up to me with startling clarity, and I exhaled sharply. This was it, time to move. I stole a furtive glance at the glaringly-white dome of a building that made up the city's government office. I wasn't sure if I was ready for this. It was such a large task for one person to go through with alone, but could I really pull it off despite that?

... No, now wasn't the time for me to be doubting myself. A hero can do anything once they put their mind to it, right? I just need to have confidence, and everything else will fall into place.

With that thought in mind, I regained my composure and jumped up from my resting spot on the ground. I stretched, cracking my neck swiftly and with newfound purpose. I reached a hand up to my forehead to wipe the sweat off my brow, brushing my golden blonde bangs out of my eyes in the process. My hand soon shifted towards my right ear and before I knew it, the tiny electronic earpiece had been removed from its hiding place and was now resting in my outstretched palm. I turned the device over in my hand as my azure eyes studied its polished metallic surface. I hadn't managed to get a proper look at it beforehand, but, well... now I guess it isn't necessary anymore.

I let the earpiece slip lazily through my fingers, watching it with an air of indifference as it hit the ground with a hollow thud. A quick flash of red, white and black, followed by a loud snap. That was all it took for the tiny electronic device to shatter into pieces beneath my boot. Well sure, it may have been an expensive piece of technology, but I can't have it ruining my big moment, can I? I only have one shot. One single chance to make things right...

I shifted my gaze towards the whitewashed behemoth of a building that made up the government office. Surely they would have begun their speech by now... my true enemy. Those corrupt politicians and people of power, filling each and every citizen's mind with their lies. They sicken me to no end. How can people put so much faith into someone who speaks of hollow words and empty promises? How unheroic. Someone so corrupt doesn't deserve the title of "leader", political or not. _I_ will be the one to put an end to their reign of deceit. It's the right thing to do—no, as a hero, it's the _only_ thing to do.

Unzipping my white jacket with a degree of haste, I look down at my chest to confirm my current status. I felt my breath hitch in my throat, my mouth turning almost painfully dry. There it is, the countdown set for twelve minutes ahead of now. The very thing I had tried so hard not to accept displayed clear as day as numbers painted crimson on an LCD screen. The sound of ticking accompanied by the soft whirr of machinery was all I could hear. My thoughts raced, but there was no time for me to waste pondering the outcome of this venture. There can only be one ending to a tale such as this, after all. It's all up to me now.

'_Time to shine, hero_'.

Recalling those too-familiar words, I was instantly brought back to my senses. "Hero"... would I be thought of as a hero too after all of this is finished? Would people look up to me like I looked up to that red-caped man from my childhood?

Nonetheless, I steeled myself for the inevitable. I took a deep breath, collected my thoughts and began to run.

.

.

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just a short little thing I wrote back in highschool almost a decade ago- I was thinking about it this morning and remembered how proud I was of it back then, and I realised I hadn't actually gotten around to posting it anywhere except deviantART, so here we are! there's a few parts I wanted to adjust after re-reading it again, but since it's so ancient, I think at this rate it'd be better to just rewrite the whole damn thing a-aha ||ω・`)


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